Flux led us into the middle of the room, where all the Rainbow People closed in on us like Nightsiders at a free banquet. They kept their distance, but it was still creepy! Flux cleared his throat and in what he apparently thought was his best herald voice, said, "And now presenting the human guests of the great Sigma Orion! They have traveled from across the galaxy to be our guests, and we welcome them with open arms!"

Amid the clapping and the cheers, I heard Beka mutter, "Yeah? So what was with the holding cells?"

Flux ignored her and went on to milk his little bit of fame for all he was worth. "I present to you the infamous Dylan Hunt, Creator of the New Commonwealth!"

There were murmurs and pointing as they all tried to catch a glimpse of the great Dylan. Hope it didn't get to your head, Captain.

"Rebecca Valentine…"

The murmurs continued, but the weren't as loud this time.

"Andromeda Ascendant…"

There was a few dismissive snorts, which bugged both me and Rommie. Sor-RY you stupid clown-faced smurfs. If you hadn't have stuck that paint can down your pants this morning, you'd be able to appreciate real beauty!

"Temelachus Rhade…"

The murmurs gave way to blank-faced stares. Guess our Nietzschean buddy wasn't so famous in this corner of the galaxy.

Flux looked at Trance. "The Lost Daughter of Sigma Orion, who now goes by the name of –"

"TRANCE!" The excited squeal cut through the crowd and I looked over Rhade's shoulder to see a purple form shoving it's way through the crowd.

" 'Scuse me, sorry! I need to get through here. Oops! Didn't mean to do that! That's Trance, you see!"

The girl managed to bully her way through the masses and launched herself at Trance, who was smiling for the first time since we had gotten here.

"Cygnus," She greeted the bubbly purple pixie. "I didn't think I would see you again this soon!"

"Neither did I!" Cygnus held Trance out at arms length for a look over then yanked her back into a bone-crushing hug. "I've missed you so much! I'm nearly all grown now! Quinn says I'm almost old enough to change, and --- TRANCE!" She spun Trance around to stare at her backside then spun her back to face her, wide-eyed in shock. "Trance! Your tail! It's gone! What happened? It was such a nice, pretty tail! Weren't you sad when you lost it?"

Trance gave a slightly embarrassed smile. "Well, I lost it when I was trying to save someone, but I've gotten used to it being gone. I only miss it every now and then…"

"A-hem." Flux cleared his throat pointedly, and I glowered at him.

"What?" I demanded. "Too impatient to wait and break up the family reunion? Or, worse, are you going to introduce the rest of the family?"

There was a murmur at my words, but Flux apparently deemed himself too far above me to answer.

"As I was saying, the Lost Daughter of Sigma Orion, now going by Trance Gemini. And lastly, Seamus Zelazny Harper."

Wow, Boss, and you thought you got a reaction? The entire room erupted and the crowds pressed forward to catch a glimpse of yours truly. Normally, I'd be flattered, but I still had the Nightsider imagery in my mind, and somehow, it didn't make things any better.

Trance whirled around to face crowds and snapped out—

--well, nothing. It was nothing that I could hear, anyway, but Rhade flinched as if he were slapped, Rommie blinked in surprise, and even Beka and Dylan, with their slightly genetically enhanced hearing, winced a bit.

Startled, the Rainbow People back-stepped a good ten feet and suddenly looked very humbled. The entire crew of Andromeda turned to stare at Trance, who fidgeted and looked down.

"It was just a trick I learned," She mumbled. "I don't use it very often, since it's not very nice. But it's not very nice either to mob a guest like he's an exhibit!" There was a very pointed look to the crowd, who, down to a person, all suddenly found the patterns of the floor utterly captivating. Part of me mentally kicked myself for ever thinking Trance was a harmless little purple girl. Sweet, yes. Naïve, most definitely. But harmless? Never.

"Are we done now?" Flux asked, looking up from the careful inspection of his nails. Apparently, he was none too impressed with the show of Trance's authority. "Good. Illiathyinae haelyilae syraithynie ararieara." (OK, I have no idea if that's how it's actually spelt, but basically it was a foreign language with lots of lilting sounds) "And now, presenting His Radiance, Sigma Orion."

Like one giant multi-coloured wave, the entire assembly dropped down to one knee, which I'll admit is some feat if you take into account the costumes some of these people were wearing. And thus the Captain of the Andromeda Ascendant and his crew were left standing all alone in the giant room as the big honkin' Kahuna walked in.

On behalf of the Academy, I'd like to say, we made a beautiful sitting duck impression.

" 'His Radiance'?" I heard Beka mutter.

I'm not sure if I could describe this Sigma Orion character. Think Zeus, but gold and sparkly. Or an Emmy Award with hair. Oh, and clothes.

He was tall. As in, literally twice my height tall. He walked in from some obscure corner I bet even Rhade missed up to the raised throne at the back of the room, turned to face, crossed his arms, and eyed us like something his cat dragged in. He wasn't too happy with his cat.

"This is the fabled Dylan Hunt, and his meager crew?" He said. I recognized his voice immediately. It was the metallic, lispy thing that drove me up the wall on the Andromeda.

"Hey, now, we're not meager," I said, stepping forward, flashing my Harper Patented Smile # 29 (Let's-review-the-greatness-that-is-Harper). "In fact, I'd have to say, we had to be pretty great to get through some of the stuff we've gotten through. Not only is there Trance, who is automatically treasured as the luckiest asset any crew can have, we have a Highguard GRA 112 Warship, officially known as Shining Path to Truth and Knowledge, but I'm sure she'd let you call her Andromeda Ascendant if you asked really nicely."

I figured now would be a good time to check on how this was settling with the boss. Dylan gave an ever so slight nod, and I figured if he hadn't stopped me now, I had every right to keep going.

"And that's not all, folks! This is the Temelachus Rhade, for those of you who want autographs later, the most honorable Neitzschean out there – who, for the record, can outwit circles out of any of you rainbow-painted court nobles. And Beka Valentine, who, without a doubt, is the greatest pilot in the universe. She can thread a needle in space blindfolded. And yes. Dylan Hunt. If there was anyone out there who could rebuild the Commonwealth from the ground up and still keep his morals intact, which ain't nothing to sneeze at, this is your guy."

I spread my hands humbly. "And of course, there's the Engineer. The devastatingly good-looking lady-killer responsible for saving the day on many occasions, who, on a side note, also happens to be a freakin' genius."

There was a suitably impressed murmur from the crowd, who were all still planted on their knees. The Grand Doo-Dah himself merely raised an eyebrow. After giving a slight jerk of his head (which I guess is the Stand Down signal, 'cause all the devoted faithful began popping up from their kneeling position like a bunch of cracker jacks) he surveyed us like something a slighter nicer cat dragged in.

"Is that so." He turned to Trance and told her. "If these people are as talented as their Engineer claims to be, then I see why you would consider joining them for a brief period. But alas, Daughter, you left while we still had… unfinished matters between us. And I believe you've spent more than enough time wandering the stars. Your work is done."

"My work isn't nearly done!" Trance said, frowning and, I swear, she nearly stamped a foot. "We both know I have more to do, and that I might never finish, and that keeping me here for your own selfish reasons might mean the end of everything, including yourself! You can't do that!" She planted her hands on her hips and lifted her chin to Sigma Orion. "And they're not as great as Harper claims. They're much, much better."

The golden man gave a golden, frozen smile. "Well. Then I suggest a chance for you to prove your verity, Daughter." He turned to Dylan. "I challenge you to a game. A simple game, to test whether or not you can live up to your claims. Your physical bodies will not be hurt, and if you win, the prizes will be very generous."

Trance looked ready to protest again, but her father leveled a glare at her powerful enough to flatten cities before turning back to Dylan.

Every the negotiator, he asked. "And the stakes?"

"If you win, you and your entire crew are free to leave. Including my estranged daughter. My people and I will even help you in your quest for the Commonwealth. It will be nothing overt, but it will help. If you lose, I keep my daughter. And you, Captain Hunt, will stay also. I have always wanted to study someone of such noble intent before the intent becomes corrupted."

This time it wasn't just Trance who reacted. We all let our own feelings heard about the unfairness of these stakes. The only one who did nothing was Dylan. He simply folded his arms and asked, "Is there any negotiating these terms?"

"No."

"And if I refuse the game?"

"Then none of you will be allowed to leave. You will remain here for the speck of time that is how ever long it takes for you lives to expire."

Dylan was silent for a moment, then turned to Trance. "What are the odds of us winning this?"

"Dylan!" Beka cried out indignantly.

"It's not wise to give in so easily to such biased stakes in a game where we don't know the rules. I'd nearly deem it suicide," Rhade added.

Dylan ignored them both and focused on Trance. "Well?"

Trance frowned, and fidgeted. I think her younger body had an effect on her. She was acting like her old self more and more.

"Well, the threads of possibility are foggier now," She started, but Dylan cut her off.

"The odds?"

My little purple princess gnawed her lower lip then turned to study me very intently. I grew up on Earth under the rule of a bunch of stuck-up ubers, and in the fight to stay alive, clothes were not high on the priority list. But I tell ya, Boss, I have never, ever felt more naked than I did when Trance Gemini was studying me like that.

Finally, quietly, "Fifty-fifty."

Dylan, remind me never to play poker with you. The odds of us getting out of here with our lives were basically a coin toss, and your mask didn't move and inch. Even Rhade twitched. I could see the flick of Rommie's eyes as she calculated everything that could possibly improve or worsen our chances. Trance is great when it comes to that, but it never hurts to have back up.

Finally he turned to us. "Opinions? I think we can do this, but I won't do it if any of you disagree."

"I believe we are capable of succeeding in this challenge," Rommie noted, with a distasteful look at all the Rainbow people in the crowd who were underestimating her before.

"I'd like to think so too, but our luck's going to run out eventually, Dylan," Beka said. "Frankly, after all the work we've done, having it end by losing a game bet is somewhat stupid."

"But all life is a gamble," Rhade said, which to me seemed like a shot from left field. "It's a fact that shouldn't be ignored. As a Neitzschean, I simply have a better chance at beating the odds. Fifty-fifty is not the most suitable odds, but we've been underestimated before."

Dylan nodded. "Trance?"

"Yes," was all the said. "We need to."

"Harper?"

Instead of answering, I looked at Trance. I've never doubted her intuition before, and she did say I was the only way we could all get out of here and back on the lovely Andromeda. Somehow, I don't think turning tail and running is a great way to save the day.

"Hey, he said none of our bodies would be hurt, right?" I said, letting Harper Patented Smile # 64 (I've-got-this-in-the-bag) surface. "So it's got to be a mental challenge. And lucky for you, I'm freakin' brilliant!"

Beka threw up her hands. "Fine! I'll go! But if we lose, you are never hearing the end of this!"

Dylan set his jaw and turned back to Sigma Orion. "Then on behalf of the crew of the Starship Andromeda, I accept your challenge."

"Good," was the lisping answer. "You shall be connected to the virtual reality within two of you human hours, after you have decided your positions."

"Virtual reality?" Trance yelped, looking up in shock. "How can you have virtual reality? None of us can work with technology!"

"Ah, yeah, that would be where you look on in awe of my stunning genius," came a voice from roughly the same area where Sigma Orion had made his entrance. A shape soon formed in the shadows and from out of them stepped a man, ready to bask in the glory of his invention. I looked up at him –

---and saw an exact carbon copy of me.